There are many that don't know the story of the Model 41, how it came to be, and its history. Hope this brief article will help.
John
It’s been called “the Rolls-Royce of .22 target pistols” and for good reason. For over half a century, nothing else has quite been like it on the bullseye circuit. Like the old TV commercial said: “Expensive – but darn well worth it.” Sure, it’s had worthy competitors over the years. The Colt Match Target Woodsman, the Hi-Standard line of “space guns” and Military models, the Ruger Marks I, II, and III have all had their day. But year in and year out, if you could afford one, the S&W Model 41 would always help to put you in the winner’s circle, giving you everything you could possibly ask for in a target pistol. Out of the box, it would allow any competitor to shoot to the best of his or her ability. It has fine accuracy, a long sight radius, both sights mounted directly on the barrel, a great trigger adjustable for weight and overtravel, ergonomic grips, fine balance and interchangeable barrels. None of these features are inexpensive, but if price was no object, here was (and is) your gun. This pistol has been a solid product from its beginning, and it reeks quality. It’s always been made the old-fashioned way – from forged and machined steel. No cast or metal-injected parts, no cheap stampings, no plastic grips are evident here. Holding one belonging to someone else will make you green with envy, I guarantee it. This classic handgun has always had the ability to go toe to toe against other top-notch match guns and come out winning.
The legend that is the Model 41 began before World War II, when bullseye competition was in flower. Competitors had been asking Smith & Wesson to produce a target gun having premium features that would outclass the guns then available. The company listened, but the war years put a halt to any activity that addressed the civilian market. Following the war, however, S&W began to focus its attention on a purely target .22 semiautomatic. The company assigned Dwayne Charron as the chief project engineer and he and his team developed two experimental models, serial numbered as X-41 and X-42. These were completed in July, 1947. The company ran these guns through rigorous tests, and then farmed them out to the S&W pistol team for real-world competition testing. Company president Carl Hellstrom took other experimental guns to the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio to get reactions from the top shooters. After each visit there, he returned with suggestions that were subsequently incorporated into the design. After years of testing, the factory turned out a prototype that they declared the best .22 target pistol that could be made. This prototype was exhaustively tested. After successful tests, the pistol was finally put into production and the first gun came off the assembly line on September 13, 1957. The first Model 41 carried serial number 1,401.
The new gun had a 7 3/8” barrel and was equipped with an aluminum muzzle brake. It featured an easily removable barrel, a match trigger adjustable for weight and overtravel, and a grip angle and controls that mimicked the Model 1911 .45 pistol. It had walnut grips with a thumb rest, a cocking indicator pin that protruded at the rear of the slide, an undercut blade front sight, and a fully adjustable rear sight mounted on an extension of the barrel. It could accommodate internal weights, and if the muzzle brake was not used, a muzzle cap was provided that could substitute for it. A set of optional stacking external weights was offered for a time, and these have become rare and collectible accessories today.
Smith & Wesson was overwhelmed by demand for the new pistol. Inasmuch as the pistols were virtually handmade from forged steel, the company was hard pressed to keep up with orders. By the end of 1958, the factory had produced only 9,875 units. In May of 1959, in response to requests for a field gun based on the Model 41, a lightweight 5” barrel was introduced. Barrels could be swapped simply by pulling down on the trigger guard. The 5” barrel was available on the gun or by separate order. In September of 1960, the company introduced the Model 41-1, which was an aluminum-slide version chambered for the .22 short cartridge. This was not a big seller, and only 1,000 were produced, making them prime collector items today. Conversion units to .22 short for the Model 41 were also made and marketed. A spin-off of the Model 41 was the Model 46, which was a cheaper no-frills version developed in 1959 for the U.S. Air Force. It could be had with a 7” or 5” barrel. In 1964, a 5 ½” barrel was offered as standard for the Model 46. Sales of the Model 46 were not strong, as most competitors desired the more deluxe Model 41, and the Air Force was no longer purchasing .22 target pistols. Accordingly, the factory quit making this model, with a total of only 4,000 having been produced. Model 46s today bring higher prices than used Model 41s because of their comparative rarity. In 1963, a 5 ½” heavy barrel was produced as an option for the Model 41, giving it a balance more similar to the .45 Model 1911 pistol. In 1965, this barrel was offered with an extended front sight, giving it a longer sight radius similar to the longer 7 3/8” barrel. Muzzle brakes, muzzle caps and weights were discontinued as options in the late 1970s.
In 1978, the 7 3/8” barrel was replaced by one measuring 7 inches even, and the cocking indicator pin was deleted from the gun. Today, the older features such as the long barrel length, muzzle brake and cocking indicator bring a premium on the used gun market. While most 41s can be found with 10-round magazines, some 12-shot magazines have been made and offered.
At the turn of the 21st Century, S&W began drilling and tapping the barrel extension for scope mounting. Grips have evolved from walnut to cocobolo to laminated wood. In the late 1980s, production was moved from Springfield, Massachusetts to a newer plant in Holton, Maine. The factory continues to make the Model 41 there today, still from forged and machined parts, and still roll-marking rather than laser etching or machine-engraving all markings on the gun. The Model 41 was never designed for mass production, as it has always been virtually hand made. Production numbers are less than 20 guns per day, and demand still exceeds the ability of the company to produce. Rumors of the discontinuance of the Model 41 due to high production cost continue to abound, but it’s still around, in production for over 50 years.
The pistol illustrated left the factory in 1971, and has all the earlier features. I have found it a bit finicky as to the .22 ammo it will digest. The slide is heavy and demands ammo at a certain power level to ensure that it will function properly. Some target ammo is under-powered for the gun, and only experimentation will determine the best ammo for reliability and accuracy. Once this ammunition is determined, the Model 41 is reliable, accurate and very satisfying to shoot.
If you want one of these beauties, the new retail cost will be well over a thousand dollars, and the desirable earlier models will bring even more on the collector market. If you want a truly deluxe target pistol, none may suit you better than the classic Smith & Wesson Model 41.
(c) 2013 JLM
John
It’s been called “the Rolls-Royce of .22 target pistols” and for good reason. For over half a century, nothing else has quite been like it on the bullseye circuit. Like the old TV commercial said: “Expensive – but darn well worth it.” Sure, it’s had worthy competitors over the years. The Colt Match Target Woodsman, the Hi-Standard line of “space guns” and Military models, the Ruger Marks I, II, and III have all had their day. But year in and year out, if you could afford one, the S&W Model 41 would always help to put you in the winner’s circle, giving you everything you could possibly ask for in a target pistol. Out of the box, it would allow any competitor to shoot to the best of his or her ability. It has fine accuracy, a long sight radius, both sights mounted directly on the barrel, a great trigger adjustable for weight and overtravel, ergonomic grips, fine balance and interchangeable barrels. None of these features are inexpensive, but if price was no object, here was (and is) your gun. This pistol has been a solid product from its beginning, and it reeks quality. It’s always been made the old-fashioned way – from forged and machined steel. No cast or metal-injected parts, no cheap stampings, no plastic grips are evident here. Holding one belonging to someone else will make you green with envy, I guarantee it. This classic handgun has always had the ability to go toe to toe against other top-notch match guns and come out winning.
The legend that is the Model 41 began before World War II, when bullseye competition was in flower. Competitors had been asking Smith & Wesson to produce a target gun having premium features that would outclass the guns then available. The company listened, but the war years put a halt to any activity that addressed the civilian market. Following the war, however, S&W began to focus its attention on a purely target .22 semiautomatic. The company assigned Dwayne Charron as the chief project engineer and he and his team developed two experimental models, serial numbered as X-41 and X-42. These were completed in July, 1947. The company ran these guns through rigorous tests, and then farmed them out to the S&W pistol team for real-world competition testing. Company president Carl Hellstrom took other experimental guns to the National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio to get reactions from the top shooters. After each visit there, he returned with suggestions that were subsequently incorporated into the design. After years of testing, the factory turned out a prototype that they declared the best .22 target pistol that could be made. This prototype was exhaustively tested. After successful tests, the pistol was finally put into production and the first gun came off the assembly line on September 13, 1957. The first Model 41 carried serial number 1,401.
The new gun had a 7 3/8” barrel and was equipped with an aluminum muzzle brake. It featured an easily removable barrel, a match trigger adjustable for weight and overtravel, and a grip angle and controls that mimicked the Model 1911 .45 pistol. It had walnut grips with a thumb rest, a cocking indicator pin that protruded at the rear of the slide, an undercut blade front sight, and a fully adjustable rear sight mounted on an extension of the barrel. It could accommodate internal weights, and if the muzzle brake was not used, a muzzle cap was provided that could substitute for it. A set of optional stacking external weights was offered for a time, and these have become rare and collectible accessories today.
Smith & Wesson was overwhelmed by demand for the new pistol. Inasmuch as the pistols were virtually handmade from forged steel, the company was hard pressed to keep up with orders. By the end of 1958, the factory had produced only 9,875 units. In May of 1959, in response to requests for a field gun based on the Model 41, a lightweight 5” barrel was introduced. Barrels could be swapped simply by pulling down on the trigger guard. The 5” barrel was available on the gun or by separate order. In September of 1960, the company introduced the Model 41-1, which was an aluminum-slide version chambered for the .22 short cartridge. This was not a big seller, and only 1,000 were produced, making them prime collector items today. Conversion units to .22 short for the Model 41 were also made and marketed. A spin-off of the Model 41 was the Model 46, which was a cheaper no-frills version developed in 1959 for the U.S. Air Force. It could be had with a 7” or 5” barrel. In 1964, a 5 ½” barrel was offered as standard for the Model 46. Sales of the Model 46 were not strong, as most competitors desired the more deluxe Model 41, and the Air Force was no longer purchasing .22 target pistols. Accordingly, the factory quit making this model, with a total of only 4,000 having been produced. Model 46s today bring higher prices than used Model 41s because of their comparative rarity. In 1963, a 5 ½” heavy barrel was produced as an option for the Model 41, giving it a balance more similar to the .45 Model 1911 pistol. In 1965, this barrel was offered with an extended front sight, giving it a longer sight radius similar to the longer 7 3/8” barrel. Muzzle brakes, muzzle caps and weights were discontinued as options in the late 1970s.
In 1978, the 7 3/8” barrel was replaced by one measuring 7 inches even, and the cocking indicator pin was deleted from the gun. Today, the older features such as the long barrel length, muzzle brake and cocking indicator bring a premium on the used gun market. While most 41s can be found with 10-round magazines, some 12-shot magazines have been made and offered.
At the turn of the 21st Century, S&W began drilling and tapping the barrel extension for scope mounting. Grips have evolved from walnut to cocobolo to laminated wood. In the late 1980s, production was moved from Springfield, Massachusetts to a newer plant in Holton, Maine. The factory continues to make the Model 41 there today, still from forged and machined parts, and still roll-marking rather than laser etching or machine-engraving all markings on the gun. The Model 41 was never designed for mass production, as it has always been virtually hand made. Production numbers are less than 20 guns per day, and demand still exceeds the ability of the company to produce. Rumors of the discontinuance of the Model 41 due to high production cost continue to abound, but it’s still around, in production for over 50 years.
The pistol illustrated left the factory in 1971, and has all the earlier features. I have found it a bit finicky as to the .22 ammo it will digest. The slide is heavy and demands ammo at a certain power level to ensure that it will function properly. Some target ammo is under-powered for the gun, and only experimentation will determine the best ammo for reliability and accuracy. Once this ammunition is determined, the Model 41 is reliable, accurate and very satisfying to shoot.
If you want one of these beauties, the new retail cost will be well over a thousand dollars, and the desirable earlier models will bring even more on the collector market. If you want a truly deluxe target pistol, none may suit you better than the classic Smith & Wesson Model 41.
(c) 2013 JLM
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